How To Grow Freesias In Pots?

Freesias are one of the world’s most popular cut flowers. They have exotic-looking blooms which are liked because of their sweet fragrance and pure colors. Freesias will fill a room with their sweet baby fragrance. Flowers are funnel-shaped and borne in clusters on slender stems. Flowers may be single or double and are available in many beautiful colors including yellow, white, orange, cream, pink, purple, and red. Stems are about 30-60 cm high above green leaves. Most people grow them for the purpose of cutting them for display. They can be grown in gardens as well as in containers. They will bloom 12 weeks after planting. Once freesias open their blooms they will stay in flowers for months. They add to the beauty of your garden. Freesias grow from bulb-like corms. They are native to South Africa. Growing Freesias: Freesias grow from corms. So choose a good quality of corms because you can see the difference in quality when you compare two freesias corms side by side. Larger corms have more stored energy as compared to smaller ones and will give you more stems and more blooms. Environment For Freesias: Freesias may be grown in full sun or in partial shade. But remember clearly that avoid direct sunlight until they have sprouted. Then keep the plants as cool as possible until after they finish blooming. They grow best in temperatures ranging from 55-to 60 Fahrenheit. After planting the corms water sparingly until they sprout. Then water consistently to keep the soil moist. And when plants start their growth begin fertilizing every 2 weeks with liquid fertilizer. (Use organic fertilizer. Mix the cow dunk in the water and apply to plants). Where To Plant Freesia? Freesias grow from bulbs that need to be planted at a certain time of year for them to bloom. The season in which you plant your freesias depends on what growing zone you live in. Check out a growing zone finder to find out when to apply freesias in your specific area. Freesias are hardy in growing zones 9 and 10, meaning they will survive the winter in these warmer climates. If you live in one of these zones, you should plan to plant your Freesia bulbs in early fall so that they have time for the roots to grow and get established. As the flowers wither, cut the stems (not the leaves) to about 1”. Allow the plants to grow until it turns yellow and then cut it very short. The quorum can be left right in the ground. If you expect the soil to be moist during the summer, dig up the quorum and keep it in a dry and warm place.If you live in a cold growing zone, such as Zones 1-9, if you plant them in the fall, the freesias will die in the winter. After the last cold snap, it's best to wait until spring. In this way, delicate buds will grow and flourish. Gardeners in zones 1-9 usually treat freesias as annuals and purchase fresh bulbs each spring. Growing Freesias In Pots: We can grow freesias in pots. In fact, their bulbs are some of the best suited to container planting. The only thing you need to be mindful of when planting freesias in containers is your climate. To grow freesia in pots is relatively easy. Freesias like rich but well-draining soil. A good mix is 2 parts compost to 1 part grit. Plant your bulbs 2 inches deep and 3 inches apart. You can use any size container as long as you stick to these dimensions. Planting Bulbs: Plant the bulbs with the pointy end up and water well. Summertime freesia container care is easy. Place them in full sun or light shade. You will probably have to stake the plants to keep them from falling over as they grow. Feel free to cut some flowers as they blossom. After the blooming period has passed, don’t cut back the foliage if you plan on overwintering or saving the bulbs. Keep watering and let the foliage die back naturally to allow it to store up energy in the bulb. Use Of Fertilizers: Use fertilizer when you see the first sprouts emerge, you can help them get off to a good start by feeding them a potash-rich fertilizer you can also use natural fertilizer (mix the cow dunk in the water and apply it to plants). Watering: Since freesias are grown in full sun, their soil will dry quickly. So keep the soil damp throughout the growing season. Continue watering them until the blooms begin to fade. The water around the base of freesias rather than spraying it over the leaves and blooms so that plants will never get ripened in strong sun. Water freesias in the morning rather than at night because night watering could allow molds to begin to grow. Cutting Of Freesias: Freesia plant will continue to flourish even after cutting. So use a clean pair of pruning scissors or a sharp knife and make an oblique cut towards the base of the stem, leaving a few inches of stem intact. Make a clean cut because it will ensure the cut freesias last a long time and it does less damage to plants. Avoid bringing the entire pot inside because freesias will die without sufficient sunlight. Provide Flower Food: Freesias can stay for up to three weeks if you feed them flower food. Fill a vase with clean water and empty a packet of flower food from the nursery inside. Alternatively, you can add a teaspoon of sugar syrup to feed the flowers. Each time you change the water adds more food, which should be done every few days. Use Clean Bouquets For Flowers: Rather than providing flower food another way to ensure that your flowers last longer is to use a clean bouquet without remnants of previous bouquets. Any small amount of bacteria can cause flowers to rot more quickly. In addition to using a clean bouquet and changing the water every few days, try adding a teaspoon of bleach to the water when you change it. The bleach kills bacteria and keeps the flowers perky far longer than when you don’t use it. Care For Freesias: When freesias are planted in pots, cut back the stem after flowering and keep the soil moist until the foliage begins to yellow. At that point stop watering and move the pot to a sheltered location where it will not get wet. Once the soil gets dry cut the foliage and removes corms. Then store corms to replant. How To Store Freesia Corm? Store the corms in sand or peat moss, in a dry, dark, cool (55°F) place until it’s time to replant. Read More: Best Annuals Flowers For Raised Beds And PotsWhat Flowers to Plant in Raised Beds & Containers? Tips For Growing Freesia: Knowing how a plant grows in its natural habitat can help you understand what it needs to thrive. Freesias are from South Africa. Their natural growth season begins in late autumn when the weather cools and the rainy season begins. The bulbs grow in the fall, produce plants in the winter months, and then bloom from late winter to early spring. After flowering, the leaves of Freesia slowly wither. During the summer months, when the weather is dry and hot, corms are inactive.The newly harvested Freesia corms are given a special heat treatment that mimics their typical summer duration. Even with this treatment, newly formed corms can break down easily and it may take a month or more for them to begin to develop. The average time from planting to flowering is 110 to 120 days.To display flowers generously, place freesia corm in groups of 6 to 10, not more than 2 inches apart. Apply the same colors together or mix them for a rainbow effect.Like gladiolas, freesias usually need help to keep their trunks straight. Circular supports that surround the stems are ideal. Another option is to use thin bamboo sticks or small branches and then tie the stems with cotton. .